Claim by UK government against Covid-19 test designer for £135m

The UK government has begun proceedings against Primer Design Ltd for £135m. The company had been selected by the government to make kits to detect Covid-19, which the government claims were ineffective because they provided only about 80 per cent sensitivity, while the terms of the contract allegedly required 100 per cent overall sensitivity. In addition, according to the government, the tests were only suitable for nasopharyngeal specimens rather than oropharyngeal specimens, in which the government claims were contrary to what was contractually agreed, and the tests sometimes provided false negative results if they were used with specimens taken from the throat. Primer denies liability and counter-claimed on the basis that the government still owes them £81.5m in outstanding payments.